New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-09
HENRY WARD BEECHER DEAD
THE END COMES At $50 An.
HIS LIFE SLOWLY EBBS AWAY TO TIN
CLOSE

sURR"UNDED AT THE LAST MOMENTS BY HIS SOB
ROWING FAMILY-NO RECOVERY FROM THE
STATE OF DEEP UNCONsCIoUsxEss
IN WHICH HE HAD RE-
NAMED so LONG
The expected death Of Mr.. Beecher occurred
yesterday morning, quietly and panesely, at his
Brooklyn home. No. 124 Hicks-st. It was like
passing into deep and dreamless Sleep Aftsr
four days of inconsistencies the end came - he
had always expressed desire that it should
come, without any lingering with waning powers
and enfeebled frame. The prolonged suspense
caused by his critical condition ended with Q
sense Of relief that no more suffering was to b
endured His marvellous vitality was shown By
the prolonged period during which he fingered
after the fatal stroke of apoplexy.
The end came at half-past 8 o'clock A ray Of
sunlight. full aud strong, flashed into the dying
mans bedchamber through the window just a. his
last breath was drawn. Calmly and with no strug-
the regular breathing ceased and the great
preacher was no more. The persons present at the
closing scene included tho members Of the
immediate family and two or three intimate
friends. Mr. Beeoher's long gray hair lay on the
pillow, brushed back In its customary careless fash
ion from the broad orow The face, though worn
by the terrible illness ard lack Of nourishmentt
looked peaceful and noble. The blue eyes, which
had looked for the last time earthly scenes, were
closed and the eloquent tongue was silent forever
On the side of the bed sat the aged wife. supported
by her granddaughter. Miss Kate Beecher while
another granddaughter. Miss Hattie Scovile. knelt
with her head in her lap. Mrs Scovllle.
Mr.. Beecher's only daughter sat beside her fathcrl
head, with her husband supporting her. The tws
elder sons, Colonel II. b. Beecher and William q
Beecher with their wives, were part Of the family
group, together with the rest of the grandchildren
and niece of Mrs. Beecher.
The OF hers in tho room were Dr. Searle, Mr.. and
Mrs 8. " White, the Rev. B. B. Halliday. L. A.
Seccomb, j. B. Pond and the family servants. All
eyes were wet with sympathetic tears
With supernatural strength Mrs Beecher sustained
the trying ordeal and kissed her husband fare we'll
The children aud grandchildren did the same and
one by one they left the chamber OF death. The
only consolation in the final scene was that the
death which Mr.. Beecher had always expressed
wish to come TO him had been his.
THE LAST NIGHT.
At no time after the character of the disease
became known was any hope of recovery enter
tanned, aud how long life could last became only
n auestlon of strength aud endurance. At several
different times the end seemed near, but then the
patient would rally and appear to take new lease
of life shortly after midnight yesterday Dr.
Searle, who was constantly at the bedside of MI.
Beecher thought the death rattle was sounding in
his throat, aud Summoned the waiting members
of the family, who were trying to get
little sleep. But the alarming symptoms soon passed
away, although the sick man was growing visibly
weaker. Again shortly before daylight it seemed
that death was at hand, bur again the end was de-
layed When the alarming symptoms we're at their
height Dr. Seare issued this bulletin:
43Oa m-snce O'Clock Mr. Beecher has aiet quite rap
IDLY HIS passss i5o and s11 q Tbsrs M mnsh sn
o. mucous III 'A' 'n''A' ANU ''' " = sEAnLE
An hour later he supplemented it with the follow
ing:
$50 mThe critical period has passed It is now pross
Die 'ha' M De''nSf VIII ''' '"' sxARLx
The stertorOns breath had become feeble and the
fluctuations of the pulse showed that the heart
which had beaten SO steadily for nearly seventy
four years was nearing its last pulsatons. Feeblef
and feebler the strokes aud the gasps for
breath were painfully far apart AT 7:3O another
bulletin said:
sIukns rapidly AMI will probably live but
short time W. s. sEAhtS
But life was tenacious and for two hours more
the struggle was continued. When the end finally
came the fact was announced by . simple bulletin
at the door, and at 10 o'clock Dr. Searle made pub
hc the following official announcement:
after Mach Els orest5ns HefssE fasa
ed and shallow. and his pulse gradually Srsw
sass ssthslsa around ii: Sses%. sydsn
:sss snss ssS,s Pssa
aa esSs sSHs anS is iS
III III. ssnn.s Ss%sa
faithful ard EXCELLENT nurses until n, the or ARRIVAL oa,aS; 81
ward sculptor expected to take cast OF his face fSs
e: Ss snly sang 'T
and Iss shrine 70 which Of PsS%i: ":
virtues. W. S. sEARLa
CALLERS AT THE HOUSE.
Among the first visitors at the house were Ne
Beechers brothers, Edward and Charles, the latter
having Just arrived from Wysox. Penn. They were
Just too late for the closing scene but viewed the
silent face. Charles Beecher said that 1t appeared
even lovelicr than in life The features appeared
little thin but perfectly natural 1t is doubtful
whether William Beecher, of Chicago. the eldess
brother, or Mrs II. b. Stowe and Mrs. Perkins, two
of the sisters will be able to attend the funeral
The youngest son, Herbert +. Beecher, Is on the
Pacific Coast and cannot get to Brooklyn IN time.
Among the other callers ut the house were Miss
Harriet Stowe, Mr. Beechers niece; Mr.. and Mrs
John T. Howard, Mr. and Mrs. G. SheaIman, Mayor
Whitney, General II. c. King. the Rev. Lindsay
Parker, Henry Camp Augustus Storrs, John Wood.
Aaron Healey, DIR. G. W. Brush II. X. Shelley, the
Rev. DR.. Henry NJ. Storrs George II. Day, tho
Rev. Louis do Cormis. and ID. W. Tallmadge.
In place of Grape streamsrs wreath Of roses and
forget. me.nots. tied with white ribbon. was hung
st the door bell Mr. Beecher having an aversion to
black az q symbol of mourning. The news was
speedily spread throughout the city by the placing
flags at haf-mast on the City Hall, Court House
and many prominent buildings. A few
minutes after 10 O'Clock the City Hall bell. that OF
Plymouth Church and other bells throughout the
city were tOlled.
Before the body was prepared for burial J. O. A.
Ward, the sculptor, came to take plaster
cast of tho features for tho bronze stat
ne of MIR. Beecher that has been
ordered by Henry w. Sage lie was unable to COM
plete his task which will be completed this morn
Ing This statue will probably be erected IN Pros
pect Park. although, it Is said, movement has